Blog

If you’ve ever had a hair struggle of any kind, we know you’ve felt some major frustration with it. So many of us strive to have healthy, happy, gorgeous hair so when something’s wrong, it can definitely put a damper on things. There are different types of hair defects that can arise, but right now we’re talking about trichorrhexis nodosa and treating this common hair defect. If you are or have struggled with this hair defect, know that you’re not alone! And fortunately, there are some things that you can do to treat this type of hair defect – and we’ve got you covered! There are said to be a few different reasons you can develop this common hair defect, between the overuse of heated hair styling, chemical usage, and in some cases, hormones and thyroid problems can be the culprit.

Back Off From Chemicals
Since this common hair defect is often the result of over-use of chemicals, many experts in this topic and treatment suggest that you stop the usage of chemicals on the hair. Yes, that means all chemicals on the hair – from coloring and highlighting to relaxers and straightening treatments. Your hair needs a break and a chance to recuperate and heal, so giving your hair a true break from these harsh chemicals is essential in treating this common hair defect. We know it can seem difficult to cut back, but you will thank yourself in the long run!

Be Extra Careful With Heat
Similar to the chemicals on the hair, when you have trichorrhexis nodosa your hair is very delicate and can be really affected by heat. Most experts suggest avoiding heat that directly hits your hair, whether it’s hair straighteners and curling irons or blow dryers. Be VERY minimal and extra careful when it comes to heat on the hair. We realize it can seem incredibly hard to avoid heat altogether, but if you really want to help with treating this common hair defect your hair needs an opportunity to heal and heat can be incredibly hard on the hair normally…not to mention when you’re having a hair defect.

Get More Moisture In Your Hair
Moisturizing hair is important for everyone, but when you have this common hair defect, it’s even more essential that you get serious about getting more moisture to the hair. Adapting a weekly deep conditioning treatment or hair masks to add more moisture are going to need to be a part of your routine to help with treating this hair defect. The more moisture you can get to the hair, the better it can work to repair itself in a much more healthy way. This also means you’re going to want to adapt drinking more water and eating a more balanced diet that helps give moisture and hydration to your body and hair. In addition, most suggest to switch to more gentle shampoo and conditioning products.

Can you believe we’re already a couple of weeks into 2017? As hard as it is to believe, we can’t help but take a few minutes to look back on the best of 2016. It was a year filled with ups and downs, just like any other year. But you know we’re all about the beauty and we couldn’t help but reminisce on all the great trends we experienced in 2016. Starting a new year always leaves us eager to take a few minutes to appreciate all that we saw, before we move forward. We know that 2017 will be filled with more exciting trends, but before we get into those why don’t we appreciate the best of 2016.

Hair Texture
We’ve seen so many different hair styles over the years, but we can’t help but feel like one of the best of 2016 in terms of hair styles is the rise in hair texture being so popular. The fact that natural hair textures were celebrated and idolized in 2016 is something that we couldn’t ignore, and LOVE! Since so many of us spend so much time working to alter the natural texture of our hair – the fact that 2016 brought a sense of celebrating it was a trend that we admire and hope to see more of as we make our way into a new year.

Bright Hues
You probably noticed that 2016 brought the rise in bright hair colors being EVERYWHERE. Colors ranging from bold, bright shades of blue and purple, to pastel colors – and pretty much everything in between. 2016 was definitely a year that brought a creative acceptance by individuals dyeing their hair in colors that aren’t typical in the hair world – especially being colors that aren’t the typical trend colors. Since this was such a different take on hair color trends, it had to make our list of the best of 2016 because who doesn’t love a nice rainbow hair color every now and then? We can’t wait to see what bold colors continue to hold their popularity in the hair world in 2017.

Braids, Braids and More Braids
It’s no secret that braids had a real moment in 2016, everything from small braids in the bang area to full French braids – and pretty much everything in between. Braids were EVERYWHERE in 2016 and definitely make our list for the best of 2016. Braids were such a great way to experiment and switch up any typical hair style to turn it into something a little more unique.

The New Blonde
We couldn’t forget the ‘nude’ or different take on blonde hair colors that we saw this year. In years past blonde hair colors have always been about adding different warm tones to the overall color to create a natural and dimensional hair color. But this year it was a bit different, with the nude blonde hair color being so popular – along with the popularity of the even lighter highlights added to blonde hair. We’re not sure about you – but we loved the new take on the classic blonde hair.

Eyebrows have grown through the rise in social media, you’ve probably noticed that it seems like eyebrows have definitely become more of a focus in the makeup and beauty world. So many women tend to forget about their eyebrows when it comes to their beauty and makeup routine, other than getting them waxed or threaded. Although we can see professional makeup artists and talented beauty bloggers creating those perfect brows, and it can be a bit overwhelming to try to create a great brow yourself. We’re sharing our tips for helping you to achieve your eyebrow goals so you can feel just as great with your own brows.

Start With a Great Shape
We all have different face shapes, and different eyebrow goals – it’s important to really get a solid great shape with your brows to work from. Whether you choose to get your brows waxed or threaded it’s important to make sure that you seek the help of someone who’s experienced and knowledgeable on creating a shape that will suit your face and goals in the best way possible. Typically, experts suggest that your eyebrows on the inside stop where you can hold a straight line up from the side of your nostril, the arch should be where you hold a straight line through your pupil and your eye and where the straight line ends, and finally the end of your brows should end where a straight line from your outer nose passes through the outer corner of your eyes and past – it should be any further than that.

Keep Up With Grooming
Of course, if you really want to be achieving your eye brow goals it’s going to be important to make sure that you keep up with grooming your brows. Plucking your stray hairs as they grow in and really setting aside a few minutes every week or two to keep your brows shapely and tame is going to be essential in helping you really maintain and achieve your eyebrow goals.

Get Your Technique Right
Anytime we talk about makeup, we remind you that to really get your technique down and consistent, it takes practice. You know – practice does make perfect! Achieving your eyebrow goals is no different here. You’re going to want to take your time and practice your technique. Typically, to get the most natural look, applying a product in short quick strokes is going to give a more hair-like type of look. Using a spoolie product is said to help blend everything together in the best way.

Have the Proper Products
Just like anything else, having the right tools and products is necessary to keep you on track to achieving your eyebrow goals. Depending on the products that you’re the most comfortable using, whether it’s an eyebrow pencil or powder product – you want to make sure they are products that you’re really comfortable and confident in using. Typically, experts suggest that using two different shades of product is the best way to get the most natural look.

There’s definitely something about straight hair that’s incredibly chic. In the world we live in, we have access to so many different hair treatments – more than many of us really even realize! It’s an exciting time for the hair world with so many advancements being made and continuing to be made. Hair straightening treatments are probably one of the more commonly known and utilized treatments by women throughout a lot of the country. We’re all about the ease and chicness it brings to your hair look, but of course with all good things there are some not so amazing things that can come along with them. We want to make sure you’re aware of ALL aspects of hair treatments because the more you know – the more you know! We’re sharing the potential adverse effects of hair straightening treatments just so you’re aware in case you’re on the fence.

Hair Dryness
One of the most common adverse effects of hair straightening treatments is that some people will experience a lot of dryness in their hair. Because of the process that that treatment requires to give your hair that straightening effect, many women notice that their hair begins to look dry, dull and even a bit frizzy. Our hair needs moisture, so when it’s stripped of a lot of the natural moisture it tends to look drier.

Allergic Reaction
Additionally, some people who have hair straightening treatments done experience allergic reactions. While this isn’t something that everyone experiences, it is a potential adverse effect of hair straightening treatments because of the fact that these treatments are done with the use of chemicals. Any time that there are chemicals of any kind involved in a process like this, it’s possible that your body/hair/skin may not react in the way that you had hoped. For the most part, people will experience an allergic reaction within a few days after they’ve had the initial treatment done. Typically, those that do have allergic reactions from these treatments tend to have itching and redness in the scalp, skin and even in the eye area. If you do have a hair straightening treatment done yourself, it’s important to make sure you seek the help of a medical professional if you do experience an allergic reaction like this.

Hair Loss or Breakage
Another potential adverse effect of hair straightening treatments is that some people may experience hair loss or breakage. This, like the other potential adverse effects, is something that not everyone experiences but is something that’s possible. Typically, this potential side effect or effect is the result of chemicals or techniques being used improperly in the treatment process. However, it’s also been found to be the result for some because their hair follicles become weak or damaged in a way that causes the hair to fall out or break on certain areas. Typically, those that have this type of effect notice that their hair loss is fairly significant.

Keeping up with healthy hair care habits is essential when getting any treatment. Any time that you’re considering getting a chemical treatment done to your hair, it’s important to make sure you seek the assistance of an experienced professional, and ask about all the specifics to ensure that you’re keeping your hair’s health.

Creating a curly hair style is always fun when it turns out the way you wanted. There’s something about curly hair that’s always fun and enjoyable to work with for a fun look. But sometimes, the curly hair look goes a bit wrong. It’s no shame, we all get a little hair mishap when it comes to creating a fun hair style. If you’ve ever crisped a curl a little too much, you know what we’re talking about here. So we thought we would share what to do when you’ve crisped a curl so you can be fully prepared to give your hair a quick revival when needed if it happens again.

There are so many different ways that you can crisp a curl while trying to curl your hair. There are plenty of different factors when it comes to keeping your hair crisp free from burns. But regardless, if you’ve found yourself with a bit of a crisped curl there are a few things you’re going to want to make sure you do to keep your hair as healthy as possible. The first thing to consider is that experts suggest any time you burn your hair a bit too much while curling (or styling) it is you need to make sure to tend to it as quickly as possible. Not treating your crisped hair quick enough can cause your hair to have further damage and cause it to take longer to recuperate after.

The thing is, when we crisp our hair, we need to make sure that we get plenty of moisture and hydration onto the hair as quickly as possible. When our hair gets a little crisp it takes a lot of the natural moisture right out of the hair – which is often why you may have noticed any time that you crisp your hair you find your hair feels very dry … almost like straw or stringy locks left. Adding moisture to your hair as quickly as possible is a great way to get the moisture back into your hair to start helping it to repair as soon as you can. There are a few different ways you can add moisture back into the hair, experts suggest either going to a leave-in conditioning product to get that moisture in and get some hydration going. But if you don’t have any leave in conditioner handy when you first find you’ve crisped a curl you can use a natural oil that’s lightweight in your hair. Something like argon or Moroccan oil have been found to be beneficial in situations like this. You only need a small amount of these natural oils, but you’ll want to gently massage it into the hair to give it the moisture in a gentle manner.

After you’ve applied the immediate treatment to add moisture into the hair quickly, many experts suggest getting a hair mask or deep conditioning product to give your hair a deep hydrating treatment to help your hair after the immediate shock of the crisp.

Ever get gum in your hair? Listen, we’ve all been there – or at least have a friend who has. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, accidents happen! Of course we realize it’s much easier to say not to get embarrassed or panicked about it than actually doing. But listen, even ladies can get gum in their hair. Unfortunately, none of us are exempt from having a wad of gum getting caught in our hair from time to time. But you know we always want to help you be as prepared as possible in as many situations as possible which is why we thought we would share some advice on how to remove gum from your hair should you happen to find yourself stuck in that situation in the near future.

The first key to getting gum out of your hair is to avoid panicking too much as it can only make things worse. Let’s face it…gum plus hair can equal a total mess if we panic and try to pull it out of our hair in a tizzy. Take a few deep breaths before doing anything – trust us, you can remove the gum from your hair much easier when you’re not in a total panic mode. Experts suggest that using a hair care product like mousse to remove the gum can be incredibly effective. To use mousse product to get gum out of your hair you need to take a decent amount of the product and start gently rubbing it into your hair and the gum area. Be generous in the amount of mousse you’re using here. You will begin to find as you rub the gum with the mousse on your hair the gum will begin to loosen up and break off your hair gently.

If you don’t happen to have any mousse around your house or wherever you are, you can do the same type of method using peanut butter. It’s important to make sure that the peanut butter that you use isn’t crunchy or has anything in it – you need the smooth kind of peanut butter for this to work properly. People have found that the oil that’s in the peanut butter is what helps the peanut butter to break the gum from your hair in an easy way. You’re going to do the same type of process as using the mousse with peanut butter, however, some suggest using a new toothbrush to brush the gum out of your hair in a downward motion. You’re going to want to maneuver the gum towards the ends of your hair with the toothbrush, using the peanut butter on your hair to loosen it up. Of course, after you’ve broken the gum free from your hair you’re going to want to take a shower to wash your hair as soon as you can.

If you don’t have gum or mousse handy – experts suggest that using any type of oil in the same manner can get you the same result. Cooking oil, olive oil…you name it. The oil will loosen the gum and keep your hair from getting too caught up.

Dry hair and split ends… they’re both hair struggles that we’ve all dealt with a time or two (or more) in our lives. This is especially true as we’re in the midst of the winter season, when we tend to deal with a lot of extra dryness in the air…and in our hair. However, they’re not hair struggles that have to be detrimental to our hair – it’s true! We have some great tips to help you with dealing with dry hair and split ends, so you don’t have to feel like your hair is a disaster any longer!

Go Easy on the Heat
When you have dry hair and/or split ends, one of the first things you’re going to want to do to help you to really deal with these issues is to back off on the heat. The thing about heated hair styling tools is they’re wonderful to help you create fun hairstyles but when used too often they can make dry hair and split ends even worse. Try backing off on the amount of times you’re using these types of products throughout the week – your hair will thank you and you’ll likely notice that the dryness and split ends won’t be quite as noticeable.

Step Up Your Conditioning
Split ends are often a result of your hair becoming very dry and brittle (aside from the obvious of needing a trim). What the two struggles have in common is that your hair is lacking enough moisture and conditioning. Stepping up your conditioning routine can help tremendously when dealing with dry hair and split ends. We’re not just talking about using that conditioner that you use in the shower after you shampoo your hair, either. Experts suggest adding in a leave in conditioner to your routine, and even doing a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week. When you’re dealing with these types of hair care conditions you need to add as much moisture and repair as possible and conditioners are essential for doing that.

Be Careful When Your Hair is Wet
Here’s the deal, when your hair is wet it’s at its most vulnerable state. In addition, when our hair is wet it’s much more likely to develop split ends and can end up being even more dry if we don’t take proper care. If you’re already dealing with dry hair and split ends, you really need to make sure that you’re being cautious when your hair is wet. This means that you’re not going to brush your hair when it’s wet, instead use a wide toothed comb to get any knots out. When you are getting knots and tangles out of your hair, it’s essential that you’re very gentle on the hair – you definitely want to make sure you’re doing this with leave in conditioner in to avoid causing more split ends and dryness from occurring. In addition, be careful when drying your hair with a towel – gently squeeze the hair and don’t rub it dry with the towel.

New Year’s Eve is just days away – can you believe it? Oh the excitement! Now that we’ve passed the religious holidays, it’s time to ring in a new year. There’s always something extra exciting about a New Year’s Eve party, regardless of how you celebrate that anticipation of a new year is fun…it’s a way to start fresh and make new plans to begin. Of course, we can’t forget that the parties are always a great time. You’re probably starting to put together the finishing touches for your outfit and beauty looks for the big night out, so we thought we would share some perfect New Year’s Eve hairstyle ideas to give you some inspiration!

Super Straight
With some of the 90’s vibes that we’ve been seeing, we’re all kind of loving the rise in super straight hair coming back. If you’re looking for a hair style that’s simple but still chic, this is the perfect hair style for you. Make sure to start by adding some anti frizz product to your hair before blow drying straight. While using your hair dryer be sure you use it pointing down to emphasize the straight style. Then run over all your hair (divided into sections) with a straightener and finish with a shine spray/product. Voila!

Textured Low Bun
There’s something about New Year’s Eve parties that have us all wanting to get a little extra glam. One of our favorite glam, but easy, hair styles has got to be the textured low bun hair style. Start by adding some waves and/or curls throughout your hair, part your hair either in the center or off to the side – whichever you prefer. Once you’ve added the waves/curls to your hair, make sure to spritz your hair with some hairspray to add some more texture. To add volume at the roots you can do a little teasing with a brush or comb, especially focus on the back on top of your head. Once you’ve done that, pull your hair back (loosely) into a low bun. The great part about this hair style is that the less perfect it is, the more interesting it is. Add bobby pins to hold it in place better and pull out some of the shorter pieces to add some of that effortless look.

Old Hollywood Glam
No matter what the occasion, when you’re in the mood to get glammed up there’s something about going for an old Hollywood glam look that’s always so chic. Yep, we’re talking about those gorgeous glam curls that just scream old Hollywood glam. Of course start by drying your hair using a round brush to get more volume added to your hair, and be sure to dry it in a deep side part. Break your hair up into sections and begin curling your hair in 1-2” pieces. Once you’ve curled all your hair you’re going to take it a step further by taking each curl and pinning it up with bobby pins to your head to allow them to cool that way. While they’re in the bobby pins spray your hair with hairspray to make sure you get that extra definition hold. Once your hair has curled and set for 5-10 minutes you can release them from the bobby pins and do one last touch of hairspray.

When it comes to your hair, most of us can agree we’d like a hairstyle that looks great but doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. Even if you’re really great at getting to the salon on a regular basis and taking care of your hair, it’s just convenient and easy when you have a hairstyle that’s low maintenance. However, sometimes it’s not always the easiest thing to really know what hairstyles are low maintenance or not. We’re sharing some of our favorite, great low maintenance hairstyles to keep you in the know the next time you head into your hair salon.

Thin Hair
If you’re a thin haired lady, you already know that it can be difficult for you to really keep your hair put or appearing fuller without using a lot of products and styling tools. Most experts suggest that the best hairstyle for ladies with thin hair is opting for something that’s all the same length. It’s a great low maintenance hairstyle because your hair is able to kind of do its thing on its own, so you don’t have to do a lot of hair styling or adding a lot of different products. Adding the element of your hair being one length, preferably in a blunt cut, gives your hair the appearance of being fuller as well.

Curly Hair
If you’re a curly haired lady, you’ve probably dealt with the struggle of finding a hairstyle that helps your curls to look their best and not require a ton of maintenance. There are a few great hairstyle options for ladies with curly hair, depending on your length preferences. If you’re up to try a shorter hairstyle, some experts suggest that a bob that’s longer in the front and shorter in the back is the best option for you. It gives you the look of an actually styled hairstyle without actually having to do much other than washing and drying your hair. In addition, it’s said to help add to your curls natural shape. Now if you’re more of a longer locks kind of lady it’s suggested to make sure that you ask for a lot of layers throughout your hair – they help to take away some of the excess hair that can get a bit unruly and give your curls some natural shape. Opting for a length that’s right around the shoulder or collarbone area is going to help give you shape, length and a super low maintenance style.

Thick Hair
Have thick hair? Having a lot of hair can sometimes feel like it’s impossible to be low maintenance, but it’s possible! Experts suggest that thick hair ladies avoid going too short as it can have a tendency of being harder to manage (ironic, right?). Longer length hairstyles tend to work best for thick hair, and generally allow you to avoid a lot of hair styling. Opt for long layers and face framing layers to match the longer length and give you some movement to your hair.

The winter time always seems to just show up one day, even though we know it’s coming we’re always a little shocked when it finally arrives. And throughout a lot of the country it’s definitely feeling like winter. Of course one of the best parts about the winter season is the holiday season comes along with it. Unfortunately we do have some winter beauty struggles that tend to show up every single winter season. We’re all about being as proactive and informative as possible so we thought we would take a bit of time to chat about the most common winter beauty struggles and what to do about them so they don’t have to be struggles for you anymore.

Chapped Lips
You’re with us on this one, right? We’ve ALL been faced with those dreaded chapped lips that seem to be notorious this time of year. Sometimes it seems like no matter how much lip balm you apply they just continue to stay chapped until the winter season passes. Well if you really want to stop letting those chapped lips be a continuous struggle for you the first thing to do is start exfoliating your lips. Chapped lips REALLY need some exfoliation to get rid of the dead skin cells. In addition, switch to a lip balm that’s more soothing and has a lot of vitamins in it to get your lips the moisture it needs. Don’t forget to apply the lip balm right after you exfoliate.

All Over Dry Skin
Ok, we know it’s not just your lips that are chapped and dry this time of year. So many of us tend to struggle with dry skin all over our bodies – it’s a lot due to the weather and climate conditions. The best fixes for this struggle is to first step up your moisturizing routine and opt for a moisturizer that’s thicker in consistency to really get your skin the extra moisture. In addition, avoid taking long, hot showers since it can honestly just make your skin feel even more dry. Finally, don’t forget to exfoliate your skin – but be gentle! Since your skin is dry be gentle, but you need to exfoliate to get the dead skin cells off your skin so it can better absorb the moisturizing products.

Static Hair
Feel like you just can’t win with your hair being so staticy? You’re definitely not alone on this one. Since the air is so much more dry our hair has a tendency of becoming pretty full of static. One of the quick fixes for this hair struggle is to actually use a dryer sheet to run over your hair to eliminate any static. But in the long run to really help avoid a lot of static in your hair, stepping up your conditioning game is going to help tremendously with this. This time of year your hair is lacking a lot of moisture, so switching to a conditioner that’s more hydrating is helpful. Plus, adding in a deep conditioning treatment once a week to your routine can also be incredibly beneficial for static hair.